1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a unique and useful automatic swinging device and more particularly to a swinging device that will maintain the natural rhythm of the swinging motion without the feel of any forced motion or any effort from the passenger.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The relaxation afforded by sitting and swinging on a porch swing is unsurpassed as one of life's great pleasures. U.S. Pat. No. 5,846,136 issued to Wu discloses a swing chair device for young children which has a simplified control/drive mechanism. However, this device has no natural swinging rhythm, no angular or magnitude adjustment, cannot swing independent of the motor control mechanism and has forced unnatural motion forward and backwards. In addition, the swing chair device is uncomfortable due to a maintained fixed motion, as well as noisy due to the drive mechanism being at nearly head-level and close to the user's ear. U.S. Pat. No. 5,574,339 issued to Kattwinkel et al discloses a typical prior art swing device for rocking furniture. Although U.S. Pat. No. 5,574,339 claims natural rhythm and magnitude or angular adjustment, this device has limited magnitude adjustment, features limited movement and features friction losses due to the backwards freewheeling motor during 100% of the return cycle. Furthermore, since the swing is mechanically connected 100% of the time with the motor, wheel and bar, true natural rhythm cannot be achieved since the passengers mass and momentum would have to rotate through the rack and pinion arrangement during conventional swinging (without the motor/controller device). In addition, this device uses microprocessors and sensors which increase the chance for simple electronic failures, both are very susceptible to lightning damage and both require specialized parts for replacement. U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,429 issued to Ogbu is also another prior art device, however it provides no magnitude adjustment and also does not provide for natural rhythm in the swing. The disadvantages of this device include an unsightly and bulky device for any kind of furniture, duplicate motor/drive mechanisms for each side of the device and having to maintain a battery charge. In addition, the device in question will have pronounced wobbling if there are any minuet differences in the motor characteristics such as speed or wattage/horsepower. U.S. Pat. No. 3,842,450 issued to Pad disclose a typical prior art swing device for rocking furniture. Although U.S. Pat. No. 3,842,450 claims natural rhythm and angular adjustment, it is somewhat crude producing a loud impacting and humming noise as a result of the plunger on a solenoid engaging. Also, over-swinging during a light swing setting would result in mechanical restrictions resulting in pronounced discomfort. Additionally, varying weights of the passenger will change the angle of the swing appreciably.
None of these previous efforts, however, provide the benefits intended with the present invention or method. The present invention provides a product that is directly marketable to the consumer. Additionally, prior techniques do not suggest the present inventive combination of component elements as disclosed and claimed herein.
Accordingly, there is a pressing need for a novel and useful automatic swing device, preferable used with porch swings or the like, that is designed and configured for the passenger in order to maintain the natural rhythm of the swinging motion of the particular swing without the feel of any forced motion or any effort. In addition, the composition of the instant invention is simple in design, includes a minimal number of components in order to innately reduce and/or eliminate the possibility of component failure.
Thus, as can be seen, the present invention achieves its intended purposes, objectives and advantages over the prior art device by accomplishing the needs and objectives as identified herein, through a new, useful and unobvious combination of component elements, which is simple to use, with the utilization of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, assemble, test and by employing only readily available materials.